Page:Brief historical relation of the life of Mr. John Livingston Minister of the Gospel.pdf/56

( 56 ) diſtractions in Scotland, and becauſe that I thought Ireland had more need, and more appearance of ſucceſs; but many a time both before and after, I found that things I inclined to were diſappointed, and fell better out another way. The ſynod of Merſe and Tiviotdale refuſed to looſe me, and live or ſix miniſters in other parts, on whoſe judgments I relied, diſſwaded me; only they adviſed me that I ſhould firſt make a viſit to Ireland; therefore in Summer 1656. I went over; and our friends in Tiviotdale put themſelves to the trouble, to ſend collonel Ker, and Mr. John Scot of Oxnam along, to ſee the caſe of Ireland. When I came I could not get preaching in Killinchie my way as in former times, and that I took as a declaration of the Lord’s mind, that I ſhould not go to ſettle there; yea, I did not find above two or three families, nor above ten or twelve perſons that had been in that pariſh when I was there. So great a change had the rebellion and devaſtation brought, and that all almoſt were new inhabitants. I preached in ſeveral parts, and at ſome communions, and was at a great meeting of their presbytery in the North, which was more like a ſynod; where were 30 or 36 miniſters, and ruling elders from 60 or 80 pariſhes, and that presbytery was divided in three ſeveral committees, that met apart in three ſeveral parts of the country. One of theſe committees had 20 or 24 vacant pariſhes, which they ſupplied ſending two or three miniſters at once to viſit for two or three months, and after that others by turns. The chief of thefe miniſters that I was acquainted with, were, Meſſrs. John Greg miniſter at Newtoun, Andrew Stuart at Donochadee, William Richardſon at Killileach, Andrew MacCormick at Macheraly, John Dryſdale at Portofery, Thomas Peebles at Dundonald, Patrick Adair at Carncaſtle, Thomas Hall at Loughlern, Robert Cunningham at Brodiſland, Andrew Kennedy at Temple-patrick, Thomas Crawford at Dunagore, David Battle at Balemanoch, John Douglaſs at Braid, Samuel Ker at Bellemonie, Jeremiah Oquein at———Gabriel Cornwel, William Semple at Kilcoum, Hugh Cunningham at Ray, William Moorcraft at Newtoun-Stuart. Afterwards ſome more miniſters were placed in the